As If You Have a Choice
by the.eye.does.not.SEE
Summary: It took her a week and a half to finally say the words, and even then, she only softly whispered them. He had to ask her twice, and finally she said, "I'm pregnant."


Summary: Since the moment she saw that positive reading on the flimsy piece of plastic, she had barely spoken to him. It took her a week and a half to finally say the words, and even then, she only softly whispered them. He had to ask her twice, and finally she said, "I'm pregnant." Mark/Lexie M

Title Note: I do not like this title. I couldn't think of a good title, and it was getting late and I really wanted to publish, so I used the lyrics of a song I was listening to, which does not even pertain to the story. Please note that the title will change as soon as I come up with a better one.

Background: This one-shot is set sometime during the sixth season, after Mark and Lexie's relationship has gone public and they've moved in together. Despite their living situation, though, their relationship has remained rather casual. They have never discussion children, marriage, or any plans for the future. (Quick Note: As for MerDer, let's just pretend they're trying as desperately for a baby in the sixth season as they are in the seventh.) Also, while you're reading, please keep in mind that, not so long ago, Addison aborted Mark's baby without telling him, and I'm guessing, she did so without a second thought. So he's wounded from that.

Rating: M for sexual situations.

Author's Note: So this is kind of a random story, but I felt like posting it anyway, so here it is. I really like experimenting with Mark and Lexie's relationship in the early days, when things simple: no illegitimate children, no Callie, no Jackson, no Julia… Just Mark and Lexie, figuring out their own drama together… Which is sort of what this entire story is about :)

Please note that the sections written in italics are used as flashbacks to the night of conception.

Sorry for the long introduction; I hope you like it.

* * *

><p>It took her a week and a half to buck up the courage. It took her a week and a half to say the words, and even then, she only softly whispered them. He'd had to ask her to repeat what she'd said, forced her to say it all over again. And it wasn't any easier the second time.<p>

_I'm pregnant._

By then, the easy-to-comprehend month had turned into a month and a half. Time was passing, important time, Lexie knew, but still… She couldn't make herself pay attention. She couldn't focus on anything except the fact that she knew about it and he didn't. She had to tell him, that much was clear… But knowing you have to do something and actually doing it are two very different things.

_I'm pregnant._

* * *

><p>It was late one night in December while they were walking home from dinner that it happened. They had gone out to celebrate Mark's most recent surgical success—reconstructing not just a man's face, but his entire <em>head<em>—which had taken over both their lives during the past two months. It had been incredibly exciting time for the both of them, and neither had been happier when, just a month and a half after the procedure, the surgery proved to have gone off without a hitch. The patient was currently optimistically struggling through round-the-clock physical therapy, and things had never looked better: for the patient, for the surgeon, for the hospital…for the couple's relationship.

So, why, on this night of joyful celebration had Lexie decided to blurt the truth without so much as a tiny warning? She could see in the way her boyfriend carried himself, and in the easy way he smiled, how relaxed he had become since the operation had proved successful. He had been worried about it and brooding over the inevitable outcome for weeks; even the slightest misstep in his patient's care would turn him into a manic control freak. And Mark Sloan was never one who clung to control.

But Lexie was now clinging to control like she was drowning and it was her only lifeline. But again and again, control slipped through her fingers. Again and again, she lost a part of her right to dictate how her life would unfold…and it continued right up until tonight.

She regretted interrupting him the moment she spoke.

"But the best part about it all is that—"

"I'm pregnant."

Lexie could feel the happy mood between them shift instantaneously the moment she spoke. A ringing was coming to a crescendo in her head, and she could barely hear his voice over the cacophonous din. She was swaying slightly now…or falling? Was she falling? She felt a frozen chill on her cheek, and when she opened her eyes she was shocked to see his concerned blue gaze before her. She lowers her head slowly, glancing to her feet to see that they're still standing firmly on the ground. Did she somehow pass out and he just didn't notice?

"Lexie?" She lifts her head, staring at him and feeling oddly unattached to her body. She vaguely notes that the cold chill on her cheek is his hand, not her face pressed into the icy snow at her feet. "Are you okay?"

"What…" She closes her eyes, taking a slow breath. She suddenly feels incredibly tired, and if it weren't so cold outside, nor were the action so socially unacceptable, she'd fall asleep right on the sidewalk. Sleep, or die. Anything to get her out of this situation she stupidly cornered herself in. "What do you mean?" She finally manages to ask.

"You mumbled something and then looked like you were going to fall over," he replies. She can hear the concern in his voice, and she tries to smile to reassure him. But everything feels upside down, and maybe she's frowning instead. The only thing that's holding her to the earth is the constant pressure of his clear blue eyes, cold like the winter ice that covers the street, which are fixated continuously on her. "What did you say?" He asks quietly.

"I…" She clears her throat, attempting to make herself sound older and more dignified, like a woman who knows how to handle a situation like the mess that her life has become. "I'm pregnant."

He stares at her for an incredibly long time in silence after she speaks. The wind rises and howls around them, but Lexie doesn't move and she doesn't see him move, either. His hand turns white against her skin, and as the minutes drag by, she starts to worry that he might get frostbite with his skin exposed like that. But his intense gaze holds her tongue in place, glued to the roof of her mouth.

When he finally speaks, he only says one word. "Oh."

_Oh._

Lexie spends the next few minutes trying to decipher that one-syllable response, but she garners no information, no insight into his mind or emotions. There are a thousand ways that word can be interpreted. Eventually, she just repeats it. She's a lot for what to say just as much as he is. "Oh."

She watches as his gaze flickers away for the first time, and she feels his hand fall from her cheek. She wonders if that's a bad sign—a precursor to a demand for an abortion or a quick clean-cut breakup—or maybe its just because he really was about to get frostbite. He clears his throat before returning his gaze to hers. His words are quiet, but besides that, she can't glean anything out of his tone: he's somehow managed to stay completely neutral. Lexie wonders if she's the only one who has a thousand voices screaming simultaneously within her head. From the calm way he speaks, she's sure she is. "How long have you known?"

"A month and a half," she replies automatically. A second later, she adds, "Well, not really a month and a half. More like a week and a half."

He nods before quietly asking, "So which is it? A month and a half or a week and a half?"

"A week and a half," Lexie replies through numb lips. "That's how long I've known. But it's… It's been a month and a half, since… Since…"

* * *

><p><em>Lexie looks up from the TV when she hears her boyfriend walk in and shake the rain off of his coat. She mutes the TV automatically, getting to her feet and walking towards him. She moves slowly, carefully, worrying all the while. She had told Meredith to call her when the surgery ended, but so far<em>_—__no call. She had no idea how it went, and since Mark__'__s back is still to her, she can__'__t tell if everything went off without a hitch or if something went horribly wrong._

_"M__ark?__"__ Lexie calls quietly. She stares at his back until he turns around. __"H__ow__'__d it go?__" S__he asks softly, studying his unreadable expression. She takes a few steps closer, stopping when they__'__re about three feet apart. "Oh," she whispers, watching how his expression stays distant and unmoving. "I'm so sorry," she whispers automatically. "Mark, I—"_

_ The wide grin spreading over his face causes her to fall silent. "What are you apologizing for?" He wonders aloud._

_ "Well, because—You—The patient—" She sputters unintelligibly, finally stepping forward and slapping his arm. "Jerk!" She cries happily. "I thought something went wrong!"_

_ Mark grins, reaching out and wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her close with an iron grip. __"N__othing went wrong,__" __he whispers, staring down at her. __"E__verything was perfect. We'll see how well the procedure took in about a month.__"__  
>Lexie smiles, linking her arms around the back of his head and running her hands through his hair gently. <em>_"G__ood,__" __she whispers happily. __"I'__m sure it will be fine. I know for a fact you did amazing.__"_

_ He smiles at her, leaning forward to kiss her cheek lightly. "Thank you, baby."_

_ She pouts comically when he pulls back. __"T__hat__'__s all I get?__"_

_ He grins in reply, but a moment later his humor is gone and he's sighing softly as he stares into her eyes. __"I __wish you had been there, though," he murmurs softly._

_ Lexie frowns sympathetically. __"Y__ou know the Chief barricaded the gallery,__" __she reminds him. "Professional reconstruction people and press only."_

_"S__o?__" M__ark replies. __"I __could have snuck you in.__" H__e grins. __"G__irlfriend of the lead surgeon deserves a place of honor.__"_

_ Lexie smiles. __"T__hank you. But,__" __she whispers, pushing her body closer to his, __"I __think you__'__re the honored guest tonight.__"_

_ He grins, and she watches that familiar mischief enter his eyes just before he hoists her up into his arms. __"Am I__?__" He questions curiously._

_ Lexie nods, leaning forward to kiss him fiercely. She's already begun calculating how long it will be until he's inside her again when she speaks. __"P__ick you place of honor,__" __she whispers against his lips, tightening her legs around his waist. "And I promise I will make tonight just as memorable as today was."_

_ He smirks, arching his eyebrows. "You've got some pretty big shoes to fill, Little Grey."_

_ She rolls her eyes at his skepticism for a quick second before crashing her lips to his and silencing the rest of his doubts for the night._

* * *

><p>"It's been a month and a half since I performed that surgery," he murmurs, doing the math while her mind is still running over the events from that night.<p>

She nods silently. "Do you remember…"

"Yes, of course," he whispers. His eyes find hers a moment later. "But I thought we…"

"We did," she replies, knowing he's trying to remember if and when they used protection during their numerous and frenzied copulations. "We did, but…" She gives him a half-smile. "Mark, you remember that night, don't you? We were both so excited… We—We just forgot."

He closes his eyes tiredly. "I'm sorry," he whispers, turnings his head away.

Lexie feels her heartbeat pick up, quadruple time. The organ ascends into her throat, a pulsing reminder that makes it almost impossible to speak. "You're… sorry," she repeats flatly. When she tries to swallow, the beating only becomes more pronounced, and the ache in her throat even more painful.

He looks up to her a moment later, opening his eyes. "I didn't think," he whispers. "I—I just wanted…" He sighs quietly. "I just wanted you," he murmurs after a moment. "I didn't think about… the consequences…"

"So you…" Lexie barely manages to take a breath. "You don't want it, then?"

Mark looks over at her, and she studies the decades-old sadness that seems to have etched itself into his features over the last three seconds. He shrugs weakly. "You don't," he murmurs, half to himself. "And it's your decision…"

Lexie stares at him for a couple silent minutes before finally managing to speak her mind. "I—I don't understand," she tells him. "Do you or do you not want it?"

"Does it matter what I want?" He replies dejectedly. "It's not like you would ever…" He trails off, mumbling.

"Mark," Lexie whispers, feeling her heart get squeezed by panic. "Mark, I can't hear you. Please just tell me what you're saying. Tell me what you want to do here."

It takes him a few seconds, but finally he meets her eyes and speaks the words. "What does it matter what I want to do?" He asks quietly. "You would never want my child anyway. Addison didn't and she…" He shakes his head, focusing his thoughts on the woman before him. "It's your decision, so what I want doesn't factor in."

It takes Lexie an entire minute to process his words. Eventually, she shakes her head, certain she misheard him. "I'm sorry," she begins quietly, "but are you trying to tell me that your opinion on whether or not we are going to have a baby together _doesn__'__t _matter?"

He closes his eyes, looking away. When he speaks, his voice is as bitter and chilling as the wind. "Why would it?"

"Why would—" Lexie breaks off, exhaling angrily. "Mark, you're the father! Of course your opinion matters! Of course you get a say, of course—"

"You want to keep it?" He cuts in. His voice is shaking, and his eyes are wide with awe and disbelief as he turns to stare at her. "You…want it?"

Lexie nods, her head bobbing up and down rapidly. "Yes," she whispers. "Yes, of course."

"But… why?"

"Why?" She almost laughs. "B—Because it's our baby, Mark! It's a part of us, a part of me and you and…" She sighs quietly, reaching up to hold his face in her hands. "I—I love every part of you, Mark Sloan," she whispers quietly, feeling tears threaten to spill over her eyes.

Mark shakes his head, feeling like he might cry as well and not at all being able to process this dream-like happiness he's experiencing as reality. "Jesus," he mutters after a moment. He bends forward, brushing his lips over her briefly. "What in the world did I do to make you think I'm worthy of you? Of this, of a baby?"

"Nothing," Lexie replies with a smile. "You were just you. And that was enough."

He closes his eyes, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. Lexie keeps her eyes open, watching as a few tears leak out of the corners of his eyes. Before she can comment or brush them away, he whispers raggedly, "I love you so much." He opens his eyes, and Lexie smiles encouragingly at him.

"Mark…" She blinks her eyes slowly, and out of the corners, she feels tears leak out and fall down her cheeks. They freeze on her face like pristine pearls. "I love you too," she whispers, not knowing what else to say.

He smiles warmly at her, bending down to kiss her and wrap an arm around her waist to pull her close. Lexie had planned on the kiss being short and sweet, but the moment their lips met, those thoughts flew out of her mind. Just like it had on that night a month and a half ago, their kiss quickly deepens. Their arms warp around each other in the middle of the street, and for a seemingly endless amount of time, Mark and Lexie stand huddled against the cold, safe and happy in their joint embrace.

Their lips move together in a slow, easy harmony for a time—only to be wrenched apart suddenly when Mark jerks away without warning. He curses, looking over his shoulder to see the remnants of a snowball stuck on the back of his coat. "What the hell…" He mutters, peering down the street. Lexie follows Mark's gaze, spotting a familiar couple making their way down the snowy sidewalk towards them.

"What do you two think you're doing, making out in the middle of the street?" Derek Shepherd calls with a grin. "You know you can get arrested for these sorts of public indecencies."

"Can it, Shepherd," Mark replies with a laugh. "We were celebrating."

"Ah," Derek nods as he and Meredith come to a stop a few feet from the pair. "Your reconstruction, I take it?"

Mark grins. "Don't act like you weren't impressed, Shep."

"Oh, I don't have to act," Derek seriously.

Mark looks away, pretending to act offended, while Lexie laughs to his right. "Hi, Mer," she says, smiling at her sister. Meredith returns the greeting with a quick but friendly wave.

"Actually," Mark begins when he looks back to the group, "we were celebrating something else."

"Oh?" Derek asks, glancing between the two as Lexie's shocked eyes fly to Mark's. He catches her eye, taking her hand and tugging her close. He holds her gaze for a short moment—just long enough to watch her nod in approval—before turning back to Derek and Meredith. He smiles at his best friend and his girlfriend's sister. "We're going to have a baby."

Mark watches with quiet amusement as his friend's eyes go wide and the blonde's mouth actually drops open. He hears Lexie stifle a quiet giggle to his right, and he grins over at her.

"Wow," Derek finally manages.

"Wow," Meredith echoes faintly.

"That is…" The neurosurgeon glances between the two. "Amazing?"

Lexie nods, smiling widely. "It is."

She and Mark watch as relief floods Derek Shepherd's face; obviously he thought his sentence a gamble.

"Oh, _Lex_…" All heads turn to Meredith as she takes a few quick steps forward and envelopes her sister in a tight hug. Lexie staggers awkwardly under the surprising force of the gesture, but quickly rights her feet beneath her. Her eyes find Mark's and then Derek's over the blonde's shoulder, but both shrug their shoulders in a gesture of not knowing anymore than she about the blonde's sudden outpour of emotion. "This is fantastic," Meredith says when she pulls back. "I can't even…" She shakes her head. "Wow."

"Wow," the rest of the party repeats flatly, their eyes trained on the elder Grey.

She steps back after a moment, taking Derek's hand and stepping away. "That is such great news, guys."

"Thanks," the couple replies, still a bit confused.

"Well, come on, Derek," Meredith smiles, tugging him away. "We should get home."

The neurosurgeon nods, sharing a quick glance with the pair before following along after his wife. After they've crossed the street, Derek turns around for a moment to catch his friends' eyes.

"Baby crazy," he mouths with exaggerated enunciation over his shoulder.

"_Ohh,_" Mark and Lexie reply in unison, understanding at once.

"That makes sense," Lexie murmurs when they turn back to each other. "They've been trying for a kid since they got married, right?"

Mark nods. "Yeah, I remember Derek talking about it." He smirks, glancing over to her. "I didn't really expect she'd have that kind of reaction, though…"

Lexie chuckles. "Well, you know… She's probably getting impatient. They've been married a while." Lexie grins a moment later. "I guess we beat them, huh? We aren't even married, let alone engaged, and in a little over seven months, we'll have our own baby."

Mark nods, hunching his shoulders against the cold and putting his hands in his pockets. They stand together in the cold evening for a few silent seconds before Mark informs her softly, "We almost didn't beat them." He glances quickly to her face. "We were almost on the same page."

Lexie smiles slightly, not understanding what he's saying. "What?"

"I…" He takes a deep breath. "I thought about proposing that night. After the surgery," he adds for clarification.

Lexie stares at him, completely taken off-guard. "You did?" She whispers.

He nods. "Yes. I—I didn't have a ring, but…" He closes his eyes. "During the operation, I couldn't stop wondering where you were, what you were doing, if you were thinking of me... I was thinking of you, and… And when I got home…" He shakes his head with a small smile. "God, Lex, I was so happy. And I—I wanted to make you happy, too."

"Oh, honey…" Lexie smiles, reaching out to take his hand from his pocket and squeeze it in the cool night air. "That's so sweet of you."

He glances over to her. "You… would have said yes?"

Lexie tilts her head, thinking for a moment. "I think so," she replies slowly. "I would have stared at you in shock for a couple minutes, then babbled for a while…" She trails off, aiming a contented smile in his direction. "But I think we both know that the answer would always eventually be yes."

"Well," he notes after a moment. He watches as his girlfriend and future mother of his child stares out into the dark night, watching the snow fall and cover the streets. "I suppose now is as good a time as ever."

Lexie looks over when she feels his hand drop from hers. Her eyes widen immediately, growing round in genuine surprise. "Mark," she manages after a second, staring down at him kneeling in the snow. "I…"

He grins up at her. "Don't look at me like you didn't see this coming," he tells her.

"I…"

"I thought we already agreed on the answer," he reminds her.

"There's a difference between a hypothetical situation and seeing your boyfriend on one knee in the middle of the sidewalk," Lexie replies, her voice losing it defensive edge due to utter shock.

He smirks. "Just tell me what I want to hear, love."

Lexie stares him down, narrowing her eyes. "Now is not a good time to get cocky, Mark Sloan."

He laughs. "Come on."

A smile breaks out on her face a second later. "Fine!" she laughs, giving in. "Yes, of course," she cries happily with a widening smile. "Of course I'll marry you."

Mark grins immediately, getting to his feet and pulling her close for an intimate kiss. When the break apart, Lexie pulls off her left glove, and Mark gingerly removes the ring from its box. He slips it on her finger easily, pleased that it slides on without trouble and stays in place after he lets go. Lexie grins down at the beautiful ring for a few seconds before stretching on her toes to kiss him on the mouth. She leans against his body when they break apart, whispering with a happy chuckle that she'd rather let her hand freeze than put her glove back on and cover up the magnificent piece of jewelry.

Mark is about to reply when a faint shout interrupts him. Mark and Lexie stare at each other, their brows furrowed in confusion, before the noise sounds again. They look up and down the street, but there isn't a soul to be seen. It's only when they look down an entire block, and across the street, that they can pinpoint the source of the noise.

"Congratulations!" They hear Meredith and Derek call from the far end of the street.

"Thanks!" Mark and Lexie shout back, letting the wind carry their voices to their friends. Mark can just see his best friend grin before he speaks up again.

"Now go home before I have to call the police to arrest you two for having sex in the street!"

Lexie bursts out laughing, leaning against her new fiancé. He wraps an arm around her waist instinctively, shouting to his friend not to worry. A second later, he looks down, takes fiancée's bare hand, and encloses it in his warm grasp.

"I say we listen to the man and head home," he smiles, leading the way.

* * *

><p>Mark and Lexie went straight to bed the minute they got home. They walked slowly to the bedroom, loosely holding hands on the way. Once inside, they quickly stripped off their winter coats, boots, and scarves. They changed into thin pajamas and made their way under the thick duvet cover that created a pale-green mountain above their bed without a word. They laid in silence together for a long time, just holding each other, before Lexie spoke.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Mark," she whispers into the darkness.<em>

_ She feels a rustle among the sheets to her right, and she looks over her shoulder when she hears him take a slow breath. "Yeah?" He murmurs a moment later._

_ "Are you awake?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ She rolls over, seeking out his lips and covering them with her own. The light kiss soon gains momentum, and as her lips mold to his, Lexie maneuvers her body above his. She crouches over him, placing her knees on either side of his hips. Slowly, she feels him wake up and come back to life beneath her touch._

_ After a few seconds, she pulls back. Both of their breathing is heavier; it's the only sound that fills the room. "If you're too tired…" She trails off softly, running her hands against his bare chest._

_ He smiles at her, leaning up to kiss her gently. "I'm never too tired for you."_

_ She bites her lip. "You sure? I don't want to…" She trails off uncertainly, letting her eyes fall closed._

_ "We'll just go slow," he whispers, bending up to kiss her collarbone softly. Lexie keeps her eyes closed, shivering at his light touch. Already, she can feel the heat spreading over her body. Already, she can hear her heartbeat pick up._

_ She opens her eyes almost reluctantly, but is immediately rewarded by the sight of his warm smile before her. She nods, reaching back and running a hand over the clipped hairs on the back of his neck. "We'll go slow," she affirms. Her voice is quiet and soft, and for just a second, he looks up at her and sees the seemingly innocent girl who showed up at his hotel room all those years ago. To Mark, it seemed like a lifetime had passed since that night so long ago._

_ "I love you."_

_ And in some ways, he was right._

_ Lexie smiles at his whispered words, bending down to cover his mouth with hers. "I love you, too," she murmurs against his lips. He can feel her mouth twitch happily. "And don't you forget it."_

_ "Mm," Mark sighs when she pulls back. She adjusts herself above him, lining their bodies up. "I—" He breaks off with a hiss when she sinks down on him. Her movement is controlled and purposely slow; Mark feels as if he might come apart at the feeling of her hot body clutching him tight for what must be the hundredth time tonight. "I don't think I ever could," he finishes a moment later._

_ She smiles briefly and he stares up at her as she begins moving above him. Her eyes fall closed in concentration a second later as her hands press lightly against his chest to aid herself for each upward propulsion of her body above his. "Lex," he whispers, watching her. "Open your eyes." She shakes her head, biting her lip and unable to speak. When she doesn't respond after a few seconds, Mark rises into a sitting position, places his hands on her hips, and switches their orientation in one deft and practiced move. He hears her breath catch for a just a half-second, but besides that, he senses no other reaction. They've done this dance a thousand times together._

_ He moves within her slowly for a few turns before bending low over her body and stilling himself inside her. It's hard to do, seeing as every cell in his body is screaming at him to keep moving, but he manages to hold out until her eyes open slowly. Finally. "You alright?" He murmurs softly, reaching down to brush her dark hair away from her face._

_ Lexie nods, a kind smile immediately taking shape on her face. Mark feels his whole body go warm at the sight of it. "Of course," she whispers. She reaches over, taking his hand. She joins their fingers, pressing their entwined knuckles to her lips. "I'm so much better than alright," she murmurs. She sighs softly, reaching up to thread her free hand through his hair. "Please keep going," she pleads quietly._

_ Mark nods, and immediately he begins to move. He's always been powerless to her and the effect she has on him, but it's times like that he sees just how deep her influences goes and how much he doesn't seem to care at all about his lack of dominance. He simply holds her tight and goes along for the ride._

_ "Oh," she's whispering in a soft cry a moment later. Her head is turning from side to side, and he can see the sweat break out on her skin. "Oh, Mark. Please…"_

_ He takes a heavy breath, grunting quietly when he feels her begin to tighten around him. "Lexie…"_

_ "Please," she whispers again. "I'm so close… Please, Mark, please…"_

_ As her wall clamp even tighter around him, he's hit by a sudden, potentially terrifying realization. "Lexie," he tries to murmur just before he reaches his peak. She moans softly in reply, oblivious to his worry and lost in her own mounting pleasure. "Lexie, we didn't—" He breaks off with a groan, and unable to hold back, he lets go and releases millions of pieces of himself within her. A second later, he's collapsing on top of her in utter exhaustion. "Lexie," he whispers throatily into her neck. She whimpers softly in reply, clutching him close and riding out the last few waves of their shared orgasm._

_Reluctantly, he lifts his head from her neck, slipping his body out of hers. He falls in a heap to her side, more drained than he's felt in weeks. When he finally finds his voice, his words come out scared and hoarse._

_ "Lexie," he murmurs apologetically, turning towards her. His gaze is dark and intense. "I didn't think, I'm sorry," he whispers. "We—we didn't use a condom and I—"_

_ "It's okay," she interrupts softly. Already, he can hear the fatigue invading her voice. Her body slumps against his a moment later, and his arms automatically move to wrap around her body protectively. "It was just once," she murmurs into his chest. "We'll be fine."_

_ He nods, the worry already slipping from his mind as he begins to succumb to sleep. "I don't know if I can go another round," he whispers into her hair. He stifles a yawn. "You've taken what little I had left…" He trails off, tilting his head to meet her eyes with a weary smile. "Lex?" He asks after a second, wondering if she's still awake._

_Her eyes are closed when he finds them. Mark smiles when she moves slightly in her sleep, pressing her slumbering body closer to his. His arms tighten around her, his touch warm and loving._

"_You were better than the surgery," he whispers in her ear. His lips flicker upward faintly as he feels himself drifting off. "Always are."_

_Seconds later, he's followed her into a dreamless oblivion._

* * *

><p>"Are you worried about the baby?"<p>

Mark shakes his head, staring at her. "No," he replies slowly. "Why would I be worried?"

"No reason," Lexie responds. "I was just thinking…" She smiles slightly, shifting closer to him in bed. Her lips hover just a couple inches from his.

"What you were you thinking about?"

"The night we conceived our baby," Lexie replies, almost shyly.

He smiles at the brief glimpse of her old innocence. "And?" He prompts.

"And, I…" She leans forward, brushing her nose against his and breathing him in. "I was wondering if we might re-enact it."

Mark closes his eyes, smiling. "Sure, baby."

Lexie kisses him briefly in thanks.

"We just might want to tone it down a bit," he warns her, "since I think we broke the couch last time…"

Lexie grins. "I know. I could swear I heard something snap."

"And we haven't cleaned the kitchen recently…"

Lexie chuckles, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Then let's just stay here, okay?"

She watches as a soft smile spreads over his face when he realizes that this is what she'd had in mind all along. A loving look enters his eyes. "Lexie," he whispers. She tilts her head, staring at him. "Was that when…?"

She nods, biting her lip as her eyes shine with happiness. "I think so," she whispers. "The—the timing fits, and I remember, it happened so quickly that we didn't have time… We both forgot…"

He grins and bends forward to kiss her deeply. "God, I love your appetite."

She's wearing a smirk when he pulls back. "I took a few pointers from the best," she grins, pressing her body against his. She slides atop him a moment later.

Mark lies back, staring up at her contentedly as she hovers before him. His mind wanders for a minute as he stares up at her, speeding ahead to the future. In his mind's eye, he watches her body grow and mature in rapid succession. One second, she's pencil thin. The next, her stomach has inflated and swollen almost five times its current size. She lifts a hand, running it over the thinly stretched length of skin encasing their child within her, protecting it from the harsh and foreign world it will soon be a part of. She smiles down at him, blushing ever so slightly when he tells her how beautiful she looks.

He comes back to the present only when she presses her body down against him and leans low to engage him in a sultry kiss. The familial images from moments ago fly out of his mind as new, more intimate and sexualized rewrites take their place. He clears his throat, smirking up at her. "So I managed to teach you a few things after all, huh, Little Grey?"

She grins, slipping down his body before pulling him up to sit before her. Her weight rests lightly on his thighs as his arms wrap around her. "Don't flatter yourself," she teases before drawing her fiancé close for the duration of the night.

* * *

><p><em>(For those of you waiting—don't worry. The next thing I update will be IHYBMM, I promise.)<em>

_Author's Note:__ I don't know if any of you watch the TV show "Fringe," but the dream sequence between Peter and Olivia in the beginning of 4x12 inspired me to write a good amount of the love scenes in this story (and to actually finish and publish this story). I've missed those two _**almost**_ as much as I've missed Mark and Lexie (which is really saying something), and seeing them together—even for a fake moment—just made my heart melt._

_**I hope you liked this story; please leave me some love and/or criticism in a review by hitting the button below. :)**_


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